The Uncertain Furture
by jackalope21
Summary: A sequel to 'A Vulcan's Past and Future'. Spock tries to rationalize what he wants to do and what he should do. Again, the two beings within him try to wage war with what is rational versus right. "T" for later.
1. Chapter 1

**Ch. 1**

**(Okay, so this is a sequel to "A Vulcan's Past and Future" so FYI, you might was to read it to know a little better what's going on but you shouldn't have to. Let me know what you think. Thanks!)**

Spock laid in the hospital bed, his body still aching horribly from his ordeal with Tryallah. She still haunted his memories, even now, more then two weeks later, after she had nearly killed him, after she had transformed into something that she was never meant to be. But still, it was the night she had come to see him in his dreams that he remembered fondly. It was her at her weakest, begging him to forgive her, wanting nothing more then to know that she hadn't lost him as a friend. He knew there was nothing she could do to him, to anyone really, that would change his perception of her, almost nothing… She had left him. That perhaps, bothered him more then anything she could have possibly done to him physically. At least when she had been attacking him and the others around him, he knew it wasn't her. The black eyes that stared back at him, the echoing, hallow voice that emanated from her throat, the emptiness of her actions was not Tryallah. When she left, well, that was purely _her_ choice.

The thought of what she had become sent shudders ripping through his body. He had to find her, a decision he had come to the night he had woken up to find Dr. McCoy and Kirk standing over him. Still, even now, he could feel light traces of heat where she had touched him, more convinced then ever she had been in the room with him instead of in his head.

Slowly he stood, his bare feet hitting the metal floor with no sound, the coldness of the contact making his skin prickle slightly before he made his way towards the bay doors to leave. He had permission to exit the infirmary at his own discretion, something he chose to exercise now. His legs wobbled slightly from lack of use, but he still managed to gather his footing and make it towards his bunk. He didn't care that the air felt cold against his bare chest, nor that the people walking pass him stared for a moment as he walked. His eyes were only trained forward as he forced himself to keep walking.

He vaguely remembered his fingers tapping the numbers on the keypad outside his door. It clicked, signaling the lock was undone before the all too familiar sound of it swinging open filled his ears. His mind was still thinking, calculating as he stepped inside, ignorant to the fact someone was sitting on his bed.

"I was wondering when you were going to come back."

The voice wrenched him from his thoughts. Spock felt his back tighten as he saw the unmistakable red uniform of the young woman he had once had a relationship with.

"May I help you Lieutenant?" he asked politely, still unaware he was partially nude.

"Spock, stop." she groaned. She hated it when he called her by her title in private. "I just wanted to see how you were. Kirk said you were thinking about taking a leave of absence."

"That is correct."

"Why? I didn't think something like this would merit _you _to take a vacation."

She knew what he was referring to. Vulcans rarely took any kind of leave from work. They prided themselves in their work ethic, able to surpass nearly all other alien species in the process. There was nothing, not even a stint in the hospital that would keep him from working.

"Under normal circumstances, no."

She said nothing as she stood from his bed, closing the gap between them quickly. He stood completely motionless, resembling a pointed ear statue instead of a living breathing being. Her hands glided delicately up his chest, tracing along the pronounced lines of his muscles before looping around his neck. Her eyes commanded the attention of his and when she was certain he was paying the most attention, she leaned forward. Spock again, remained motionless as she pressed her lips to his. His eyes didn't close at the contact, his heart didn't flutter, there was no response. He felt her desperately try to pry his lips apart with her tongue but he was simply standing there. He had no intention of furthering their contact, nor giving in to her whims. Instead, his hands lightly gathered her wrists and pried her from his neck, slowly pushing her away from him.

Uhura stared up at him, her brow creased in anger and hurt, her eyes shooting daggers at him. She was angry and he couldn't help but simply stare at her.

"It's because of _her _isn't it?"

He could hear the venom in her voice and her hatred for the young woman was more then palpable. It always had been ever since Tryallah had come aboard the ship.

"I do not understand."

"Bullshit." she snapped angrily. "You used to at least kiss me back."

She was bordering on fury now.

"You and I are no longer in a relationship. There for it would be unwise and illogical for me to continue anything physical with you."

His words were calculating and he could tell by the expression on her face she had taken it to be cold as well.

"Why?" she asked angrily, tears welling in her nearly black eyes. "Why her? What does she have that I don't have? Why would you rather be with that… that… _animal_…"

"Enough!"

Spock hadn't meant the words to betray his feelings but at the sound of someone calling Tryallah an animal, he hadn't felt the need to keep the anger in any longer. Uhura didn't know what she was talking about. She had never once tried to even get to know the young princess, let alone carry on a conversation with her so for her to stand there and call her an animal was intolerable.

The young woman's face was wide with shock, her mouth gaping open as she tried to form words but nothing came out. She had never heard him snap like that to anyone, especially not her. Even when he had lunged for Kirk, he had never raised his voice but here he was, nearly yelling at her.

"You have no idea of what you are speaking." he told her sternly, his face still blank and stoic.

"What has she done to you?" she asked.

There was genuine concern in her voice as her hands delicately came to rest on his cheeks. Instead of receiving them as she had hoped, Spock simply grasped her wrists delicately once more and removed her from his touch.

It seemed, in that tiny action, that Uhura finally understood everything he hadn't said.

"She's the reason you want to take leave isn't she?"

"I simply wish to find her." he answered. "To help her."

"She tried to kill you!" she yelled.

"That is irrelevant." he told her calmly. "Now if you don't mind."

She watched as the young man moved aside, a simple motion for her to leave him alone. Her heart sank at the notion but slowly, she gathered her emotions and walked out of his room.

Spock stood there, staring at the bed she had occupied and couldn't help but think of the young Furian that he wanted so desperately to save from herself.


	2. Chapter 2

**(Okay, I'm not sure if that's the right 'species' for the green chick so if it isn't let me know and I'll fix it. Thanks! R&R please!)**

CH2

"Kirk!"

The voice echoed silently over the green plains and was barely audible over the oceans beating waves. He ignored it.

"James!"

The same voice as before tried to gather his attention which was completely occupied at the moment. He found himself trying his hardest to pay attention only to the three beautiful woman surrounding him. They changed periodically, but right now he had a little of everything. He had his favorite green Orion, a young blond, busty Earthling, and a familiar pointed eared Furian at his sides. He was glad she didn't look exactly like _her_, but she was so damn close it might as well have been.

"Damnit Jim," the voice sounded loudly before the perpetrator came into view.

His face fell at the figure before him, trying his best to adjust himself and cover him and the other nearly naked women around him.

"What uh…" he said hesitantly. "What are you doing here?"

"Really Jim? Her?"

He looked to his left to see the pointed eared Furian was the topic of discussion. He felt heat rush to his face as he blushed, the young woman doing nothing but smiling lovingly at him before disappearing into nothing like the other two. He frowned as the large bed they had occupied disappeared as well and he was left standing before the intruder, a sheet wrapped around his body.

"What? Can't you just leave me alone? Seriously you got to come in here and mess with my dreams again?"

"I'm sorry Jim but… really?" she asked with nearly booming laughter. "I was worried you wouldn't want to speak with me after what I did but it seems I was quite wrong."

"Who says that was even you?"

She rose a skeptical eye to him before he felt clothing appear around his body. Glancing down, he realized it was her causing it and let his sheet drop. She smiled sweetly as he rushed forward, pulling her into a hug lightly placing a kiss on her forehead.

"How are you Trya?" he asked sweetly.

"Fine." she smiled, leaving out a great deal of information. A notion he was not ignorant of. "I've come to speak with you."

"About what?" he asked as the two sat in his dream world. "You told me last time would _be _the last time I'd see you."

He turned to her, seeing her face fall as she tried to form the words she knew she had come to speak. But she was having trouble. The sheer absurdity of what she had gleaned from Spock was so overwhelming she was having trouble believing he was serious. Then again, she learned many years ago, not to doubt a Vulcan. To them, if it merited a second thought, chances are it would merit many more and if it was something they were thinking of doing, more likely then not they would. That was what brought her here in the first place.

"You must speak with Spock." she finally muttered, her eyes training once more on the scene before her.

"Spock? Why?" he asked as his back went tight. "How did you even get in here? I thought you couldn't stretch this far?"

"It seems my power has grown." she replied sadly. "Is Spock seriously considering coming to find me?"

This time her eyes trained on him and he felt his breath catch in his throat. He had figured that was what Spock was going to try and do but he had hoped that time to think about it would alter the man's train of thought. Apparently not if Tryallah thought it necessary to come all the way to Kirk's dreams to ask.

"I uh… I don't know." he stammered.

"Don't lie to me Jim. I'm inside your head remember?"

"Well what if he is? Would that be so bad?"

"Yes." she snapped, not believing he would ask her something like that. "That was why I had taken so many precautions. Do you know how dangerous it would be for him to awaken me?"

"Why? You seem okay now." he shrugged.

The young woman sighed loudly as she stood from her spot, pacing before she spoke.

"That's because I can control myself while I sleep." she answered. "But awake… There is too much going on around me. I can not focus and the last time I was awake I…"

Kirk cringed at the memory, still fresh in his mind, of her attacking him and his first mate.

"Please Jim…"

He looked up only when he felt her hands close around his, her voice pleading as she forced him to look her in the eyes.

"Please tell Spock to remain aboard with you. He can not come to find me."

He didn't speak for a moment, only stared into her beautifully hypnotic eyes.

"Please Jim." she snapped. "Promise me."

He jumped slightly for a moment at her sudden outburst but he knew she was only frightened for what might happen.

"I won't let him out of my sight." he told her sweetly. "I promise."

She smiled sweetly, relaxing for perhaps the first time since she had appeared before him.

"So uh… while you're here and you scared of my other ladies… you think we could…"

She laughed heartily at him. It was the first real laugh in she didn't know how long before she sat next to him.

"It seems you already have that taken care of." she teased with a sideways glance. "Does Spock know about that?"

"It's not you!" he defended loudly.

"Of course not." she smiled. "Only a really decent copy."


	3. Chapter 3

Ch3.

"Commander Spock?"

The chirping of the communicator brought the man out of his thoughts. With a quick tap he responded.

"Yes Captain."

"I need to speak with you."

"Yes sir."

Spock rose from his seat within his bunk, slightly disappointed about the interruption as he made his way to the door. Before he could act, the door swung open revealing the captain. Despite his insides jumping at the sight of the man so close, Spock simply stared, moving out of the way as he sat once more in his previous seat.

"What can I do for you captain?" he asked calmly.

He watched as Kirk paced nervously for a moment, his hand coming to his mouth as he tried to form the words he had come to say. Spock never truly understood why humans let everything that was going through their mind be so prominently displayed on their faces. It would seem the smarter option to leave them hidden, to keep the people around you curious of what you were thinking instead of displaying it to anyone that cared to look.

"I have come to refuse your application for a leave of absence." he finally declared.

"I do not understand." Spock replied, his voice calm and even, never betraying the slight panic at the words.

"You're not going to look for her Spock. I won't let you." he finally told him, dropping the false tone of leadership.

"How did you…"

"She and I had a little talk last night." he sighed before taking a seat in another chair. "She knows what you're planning and she wanted me to try and stop you."

"However disconcerting the notion that she is spying on my thoughts, I will find her."

"No you won't. I promised her I'd keep an eye on you."

"If you will not permit me the leave of absence I require to locate the Princess, then I will be forced to resign my post on the ship."

"You're joking."

Kirk eyed the man before, his face unchanging as he spoke. He felt like this was a joke, it had to be, but Vulcans didn't waste time with something as foolish as light-hearted banter.

"I hereby resign…"

"No." Kirk snapped, placing his finger tips in his ears. "I'm not hearing this…"

Spock watched as the man hummed lightly to himself, trying to drown out anything he could have said. Curious creatures humans were. They always managed to surprise him.

"Look Spock, I promised her I wouldn't let you go after her. Do you know what that means? To _promise_ some one something?"

"Captain, I am Vulcan, not a simpleton."

"I wonder sometimes…" he muttered under his breath.

"However," Spock continued, ignoring Kirk's original statement. "For you to have promised something that was beyond your control was irresponsible. I am sorry captain, but I have made my decision."

"Do you know how scared she is that you're even considering this? Why can't you just accept her wishes and let it go?"

"She does not deserve to be held in a cell for the rest of eternity as punishment for something that was out of her control."

"Really?" Kirk asked with a cocked brow. "That's the excuse you're going to give me? That you want to help her?"

"Yes."

Kirk rolled his eyes at the man before him as he thought about what to do. He didn't want Spock to resign but he had made a promise to Tryallah to keep him away from her. Then it dawned on him. There was a loophole, something he very mush would like to exploit. A wicked smiled crossed his lips as he thought the plan through further before reaching a conclusion. Spock watched as the man stood, his smile widening as he turned to face the young Vulcan.

"Okay Spock, you want to go play the hero? I'll join you."

"I beg your pardon captain, but this is something I must do alone."

"Either I come with you or you don't go." he replied sternly.

Spock thought about what the captain had said and having had time to better know the man, knew there was no point in arguing with him. While it would have been easy to reason with a normal person, Jim Kirk was anything but.

"As you wish Captain." Spock answered with a slight bow of the head.

"Great." Kirk declared with a smile before tapping his communicator. "Sulu?"

"Yes Captain."

"Set a course for Furia."

"Captain?"

"It seems we have a princess to rescue."

**(I know that line is retarded and cliche, but can't you see him saying it with his chest puffed out like some kind of big badass? lol.)**


	4. Chapter 4

CH4.

Black eyes stared back at him, baring straight into his soul, into his thoughts. His mind was ravaged, taken advantage of, raped. His inner most thoughts, things he had wished to keep secret were brought forward for any one to hear. He felt violated, wholly and completely in a way that he still didn't fully comprehend. There were no secrets anymore. The stoic and calm exterior was chipped out of existence with nothing more then a stare. Fear. Panic. Terror. Horror. Emotions ran rampant through the man that had been trained to keep them silent, all because of those eyes.

His body was rigid, every muscle tense as he struggled to free himself from the unseen grip that held so tight. No matter the effort, nothing moved. His body was not obeying his simple commands, it was unable to. The invisible force held tighter then before, undetectable hands gripped his internal organs and squeezing. Pain radiated through him. A scream burst from his lips no matter how hard he fought it back and still the pain continued.

The black eyes still showed no sign of life, nothing that let him know there was even a fraction of the woman he knew inside. The laugh that followed sent indescribable waves of fear rippling through him as she continued to twist his organs and body in unspeakable ways. The pride, joy and pure pleasure of what she was doing sounded loudly in his pointed ears as it continued. He faintly heard the voices of his friends, her family, screaming for her to stop but they were nothing more then a whisper over his own agony.

Finally, he felt the force leave him as he plummeted to the ground, his body broken and bruised. He was sure there was internal damage and despite his valiant efforts, his body could not move. It was either too afraid to do so or it had simply given in to the shock it had sustained and given up. Everything went black, silent. But a voice, sounded loudly, echoing in the blackness, in the nothingness that had enveloped him.

"_Leave me…"_

Spock shot out of his bed, his chest heaving as he tried to steady his heart, his mind, the faint whisper still echoing loudly in his ears as though it had been screamed at him. He glanced frantically around the room, trying to better assess where he was, what he had seen. Fear held tight. The images were so real, the pain still radiating in his gut. Sweat had formed on his forehead and with a shaking hand, he wiped it away. Never, in all of his years, had something effected him so greatly. Bile rose in his throat for the first time in his life at the images in his head. He felt sick. Slowly, he calmed his breathing, his body beginning to relax itself once more as he stared into his darkened room.

Tomorrow the captain and himself were going to arrive in Furia. Thaus was already informed and despite trying to convince the men their presence was not needed, Spock insisted. He knew the poor King's heart was not in his words. He wanted, as much as the Vulcan, for his daughter to be returned, so despite the urging and threats to both men and Star Fleet, the hallow words went unnoticed.

But still… Ever since the day he had declared what he was planning on doing, the nightmares grew steadily worse. First it was simply him in the hospital bed, recovering from his injuries but now, now the nightmares had become violent. He knew, in his heart, that it was her, it was always her. She was trying, valiantly, to persuade him to leave her alone. Instead, her actions made it all the more necessary for him to find her. He had no idea where she was being held, no clue to where she might have gone but it didn't matter.

The chaos and confusion that engulfed his usually somber mind was beginning to give him a headache. He brought his hands to his temple, willing the images to leave him but they refused. He knew she wasn't showing him anything he hadn't experienced and perhaps that was what affected him the most. These were not normal nightmares in that it is something you can forget when you awaken. These were more like memories of something that had come to pass. He had experienced this pain before, this violation, and she simply had to make him remember it to cause the most pain. There was no need to place false images in his head, the real ones were more terrifying then anything she could imagine for him and she knew it.

Spock sat in his bed, his knees bent as his elbows rested on them, his eyes staring intently at the grey blanket that covered him. Normally, there was no reason for him to sit like this, this simple and very _human_ way, but for the moment there was something comforting in that. Perhaps it was his way of putting himself in his mother's mind set, trying to think of the advice she would give him when he felt this conflicted.

"_Spock, there is no need for you to second guess yourself like this."_ he knew she would say.

"_But mother, she clearly wants no help. What am I to do when the person you wish to save refuses the offer?"_

"_She is simply scared. She knows you too well and is trying to pray on your fears to keep you at bay. She only wants what is best for you."_

"_Likewise. It is unfair for her to remain in a prison of her own creation."_

"_She doesn't think so."_

"_Mother, you can not seriously be considering her side of the argument."_

"_Spock, all I am saying is think about it from her side."_

Perhaps he should have thought it strange that he was having an internal conversation with a being that was no longer alive but he didn't. In his mind, he was simply seeing the conversation for what it would have been had he had his mother to ask in the first place, nothing more. Vulcans left nothing to chance. They considered every angle, every thought and in his mind, if he had continued without having his little 'talk' with his mother, Spock would have felt the plan to retrieve the young woman was ill-conceived.

He felt himself wishing his mother was with him now… She was the one that would always help him when his _feelings_ did something he didn't like. She was his voice of reason, the stone that anchored him instead of sending him through a sea of doubt. He never wanted to think about what would have happened had he been raised without his mother. He never would have understood that his human feelings were natural and that there was nothing in them that was betraying his Vulcan side. She would know how to help him now, how to make him understand the conflicting thoughts in his head, the ones that he couldn't go to his father with, the ones he wouldn't dare to ask another about.

Spock laid gently onto his bed, his head resting comfortably in the divot he had created in his pillow. His eyes trained intently on the ceiling as he went through every conceivable angle of his plan. It was simple, something he was always fond of, believing plans stood a much higher chance of success when there was little room to go wrong. It wasn't that his plans were vague, to the contrary they were quiet elaborate, but still simple. Easy to follow so there was no mistaking his intentions.

He planned on landing on Furia with Kirk, the two visiting the King and finding the soldiers that had transported the young princess. The trick, however, was finding which were the soldiers she had chosen. After speaking with the King, Spock realized the young princess left nothing to chance and even neglected telling her father who she had chosen. It was something he would have done as well, and in that reasoning, he knew he could find her. He had known her long enough to know how she thought. He understood her people enough to know how they operated and he knew himself all the more. He would find her. Once his mind was set on a task, little to nothing would derail him until it was seen through. She knew this and that was why she was trying so desperately to stop him.

He felt his lip turn back in a slight smile. Actually, he knew humans referred to this action as a 'smirk' instead of a smile. He wasn't completely sure why his body was reacting this way but he didn't mind. All that was left now was to try and sleep before they landed on the alien planet.


	5. Chapter 5

Ch5.

Spock arose the next morning at 5:30, seconds before his alarm went off as he usually did. As he changed quickly and began to gather things he would possibly need for his voyage, his door chirped. Spock hesitated for a moment before considering whether to answer it or not. That moment of hesitation was more then enough time for the person on the other end to come walking in. He felt surprise surge through him internally at the sight of Spock Prime standing in his doorway, his arms crossed behind his back as he himself usually stood.

"May I help you?" he finally asked, setting down the shirt he had in his hand.

The young man was still unaware of how to properly address his future self. Most of what he would say in the typical greeting seemed lacking and pointless.

"Jim asked me to speak with you." Prime told him calmly as he took a seat in a nearby chair.

"I assume you are well aware of my intentions."

"Yes, quite. And I felt as though I should warn you of the possible consequences should you succeed in awakening Trya."

Spock felt his back tighten slightly. It was odd to hear his older self speak of the princess so informally, as though the two of them had known one another for all their lives, until it occurred to him. He had known her almost all of his life and yet he felt the need to call her by her proper title. So what would have changed to make his future self so comfortable in referring to her so informally?

"What happened to the 'Tryallah' of your time?" Spock finally asked as he took a seat in an adjacent chair.

He saw the pain and anguish of some past tragedy wash over his future self's eyes. The wrinkles took on a deeper meaning to Spock now and he couldn't help but feel as though the only reason he looked so old, was from years of worry and heartache.

"In my time," Prime began slowly. "Things did not go as smoothly as they did here."

'Smoothly'… the words seemed entirely wrong for what Prime was referring to. There was nothing smooth at all about the fight between Spock and Tryallah. There had been nothing smooth about the medical procedure that turned her into the monster she now was. There was nothing about this entire ordeal that would fall under any of the vast meanings for the word 'smooth'.

"Explain."

"In my time, something similar happened bringing forth the _change_ in the princess." he paused as though the memories were too much for him to bare. "But, she refused to let me onto the planet."

"Refused? Why?"

"Do you mean to tell me you already forgot about the fight?" he asked with a slight smile.

"You mean the discussion between the Captain and myself that she over heard?"

"Yes." he smiled before his face turned blank once more. "She had never forgiven me for being so callous and in her anger, refused to let me onto the planet with her. She refused to let anyone really. With nothing more to do, the Enterprise had to make it's way back to Earth and reluctantly I followed."

"Why did you not go back and try to speak with her?"

"Are you telling me you would have?" he asked with another faint smile.

Spock knew the answer. No. He would have respected her wishes and left her alone, the same thing he was refusing to do now.

"When I had finally built up the courage to hazard a visit, there was nothing left."

Spock shot Prime a questioning glance, one the old Vulcan refused to meet. Instead, he watched as the wrinkled man's face took on something that he never thought he would see. Pure grief. He watched as the man before him sifted through his memories, however haunting they were, and tried to compose himself to speak.

"What do you mean there was nothing left?" Spock finally asked quietly.

Prime slowly rose his head to peer into the young, naive eyes of his youth. Another faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips before fading as though it had never been there to begin with. But, it was the look in the man's eyes that dominated Spock's attention. They were glassy, as though he were on the verge of tears, something Spock never thought himself capable of. He was taken aback by this, something that was not lost on his older self.

"When I had finally worked through my inner demons, and reasoned with myself to return to Furia, there was nothing left. The planet had been destroyed."

"Destroyed?" Spock asked shocked, not caring that his emotions saturated the words he spoke. "But how?"

"Shortly after leaving, Trya slipped into another spell. Her mind was so far lost, that she finished the work he mother had started."

"She destroyed the whole planet?"

"Nearly nine billion Furians lost their lives." he replied gravely. "The whole population wiped out of existence."

"But how? How is that possible?"

Again, the emotions in his voice betrayed what he was feeling inside but he didn't care.

"Her mind was linked to that of the entire planet." he answered quietly. "Before I was sent here, she was still wandering aimlessly on the planet's surface, her mind hollow and lost. I can not help but think that she had killed her people only to finally receive the silence she so desperately craved."

"Is there no hope for her then?"

"It is hard to say." he answered truthfully. "The Tryallah from my time was taken forcefully, against her will. Yours had made the decision herself. As certain as I am that your Tryallah is more then capable of pulling through this ordeal, you had to know the risks of awakening her."

"Is there nothing that can save her?"

"There is, one thing." he replied before smiling again. "You."

Spock rose a quizzical eye to the man before him.

"Perhaps you should speak with Thaus about this." he said with a hint of laughter as he stood. "Ask the King about a Furian's hollow."

With one last glance, the older man disappeared out of the small bunk leaving Spock more confused and conflicted then he had been the previous night.


	6. Chapter 6

Ch6.

"This is a fool hearted quest you are on Spock." King Thaus said, his voice booming and still holding the same authority it always had, but something was missing.

Spock could tell, even in that small, simple sentence, that although the King believed it was a ridiculous mission he was taking on, that he wanted desperately for the Vulcan to prevail. There was sadness in the man's eyes, his face looking more aged in the month they had been gone then in the decades Spock had known him. This was the sight of a man that had lost everything he had ever held dear and it was beginning to show.

"I understand your majesty, but I must try." he told him calmly as they continued their walk to the garden Tryallah had been in when Spock had first arrived on the planet sometime ago.

His mind filled with images of the young woman throwing seed to the multitude of birds that littered the garden. But now, without her presence, the very life that the plants and animals had seemed to wither away into nothing. The greens of the leaves seemed less vibrant, the birds songs held no joy as they echoed loudly over the vast garden. It seemed that in her absence, everything had slipped into a sea of monotony of which it would never return.

"Has she left no clues to where she might be your highness?" Spock finally asked, trying to draw his attention away from the dreary sight before him.

"No my son." he replied solemnly.

"Your highness…" Spock began, his mind suddenly remembering the conversation he had held with his future self. "May I make a personal query?"

"Of course Spock." Thaus answered, his eyes still never diverting from the stone path before them.

"What is the relevance of a Furian's 'hollow'?"

The question was one the King had never thought the young Vulcan would ask and in his shock, his feet stopped moving. Spock hesitated in his steps to find the King staring intently at him, his brow furrowed together in an expression Spock was having trouble identifying.

He waited, for a considerable amount of time, before wondering if it was the wrong thing to ask. Why had Prime instructed him to do something that would merit this kind of reaction from the King? Was a hollow something bad? Was it something Spock had no right asking about?

"Where did you hear that term?" Thaus finally asked, his stride picking up once more.

"It is a complicated story." he answered truthfully. "But someone I have come to know suggested that I ask what a hollow is. He was unclear to how this would benefit me in my mission, but did say that I could help the Princess so long as I knew what a hollow was."

There was a silent chuckle emanating from the King's chest before it brushed pass his lips and into Spock's ears. He turned to the man beside him as they walked, confusion almost clearly written on his face as the king smiled a genuine smile at the thoughts running through his head.

"Is something humorous your majesty?" Spock finally asked.

"It seems to make so much sense now." The King mused. "You are my daughter's hollow."

The King had declared the sentence more to himself then the young Vulcan at his side, musing over the hidden meaning of the word. Spock's eyes narrowed slightly at the declaration. It wasn't out of anger, or anything along those lines, simply confusion. Prime had the same smile and snicker of laughter when instructing him to query the King, and now Thaus had it as well. He was unsure if he truly did want to know what a hollow was or not now that he seemed to be the focus of it.

"Your highness, please elaborate on to how this is a laughable situation."

Thaus turned to the young man beside him as they continued to walk, a half smile tugging at his lips as they did before his attention was shifted back to the trail.

"In our culture Spock, a hollow, for lack of a better term, is our match, our mate, the one we imprint upon."

Spock felt his chest tighten at the thought of being referred to as Tryallah's mate. That was something he had never assumed, in all his years, he would be. Sensing his apprehension, the King guided the poor alien to a nearby bench and instructed him to sit. Taking his seat beside him, Thaus thought for a moment, collecting the best words to describe was he was about to explain.

"Spock, being the logical man you are, perhaps this will not be so difficult for you to understand." the King began. "A hollow is the one being our kind feel a connection with, a bond. They are the ones that complete us in certain ways."

"By definition, hollow means anything but complete." Spock corrected, trying to steady his mind and finding sanctuary in the only thing he knew, logic.

"Yes, you are right, but they are called so because that is what they erase. A Furian's hollow takes with it all of the emptiness of being alone and once we have found ours, if they were ever to leave our side, hollow is what we would become. Our body's and minds crave and hunger for the one we became linked to, only slated when they are once more at our sides."

"That is a contradiction."

"Yes. But, it is what they are called none-the-less." Thaus replied before continuing. "Furians are a promiscuous race by nature. It is simply unavoidable, it is who we are. But, there is the rare instance where a Furian will find their match, their hollow. I believe the Earth term is 'soul-mate'. It is a connection between two beings that is more or less unbreakable. No matter the distance between them or the time, a Furian will always find a way back to their hollow and vice versa. Although sometimes it is not the one they spend the rest of their life with."

The sentence forced Spock to look at the King, confusion pulling at his brow once more. He did not like not knowing what he was being included in and the fact he was betraying that confusion bothered him.

"I do not understand. If they are meant to be mates, then why would it not be life long? A mate, by definition, is the one you bare children with, the one you do spend your life with no matter how long."

"When a Furian finds a hollow outside of their species, it is uncertain the strength of that bond. All be it rare, it does happen. We are nearly ageless, almost immortal. The only time we age is in the last few years of our life. We will age rapidly, cutting the length of time of us being decrepid and old to only a few years instead of the decades of our youth, so if we choose another being as our hollow, there is any number of things it can imply."

"Explain."

"They could either be our intellectual mate, friend, or something else along those lines. They could be the one we form a different kind of unbreakable bond with, not necessarily being the one that would involve marriage and children."

Spock felt a little more of the tension that had managed to accumulate on his shoulders dissipate. He felt a little better that he wasn't _that_ kind of mate, but still… the fact he was implied as her hollow in anyway made him nervous. As he sat there, staring off into nothingness, Spock felt a hand clamp down on his arm. Turning, he saw the King smiling at him slightly, unaware the man had already stood to leave.

"I have faith you will find her Spock, especially now."

"Why would your faith in me change so suddenly?" Spock asked confused.

"The bond of a hollow can span further then any solar system. If you cleared your head, you would be more then able to find her. You must simply listen to your feelings."

With that, the King turned and left. Listen to his feelings? Spock had been trained his whole life to dominate his feelings with a logical mind, to control them, to be the master of his own mind and body and now he was being told that in order to save Tryallah, he was going to have to forgo all of his training and let his emotions run wild? This didn't sit well with the young Vulcan, not in the slightest. He didn't want to think about the trouble his emotions could cause if they were unleashed, he didn't even like what happened when they peeked through. He had spent so long suppressing them, he didn't have any idea of what would happen if they were no longer in his control. The thought was more unnerving them he had anticipated.

**I hope this isn't too confusing. lol. And EnglishFitzPercy, you rock!**


	7. Chapter 7

Ch7

The next morning, along with the King's head of the Furian Military, Spock and Kirk stood in the vast conference room, a large map of the hemisphere they currently inhabited unrolled and displayed in front of them. It was staggering how large the planet was, how unimaginably big. There was a lot of water, close to the same 70% Earth held, but the areas of land were much more fertile, greener and held dense thick jungles and forests. Their people were not above living in the forests instead of occupying cities so it made the amounts of open area all the smaller. Spock hadn't realized how daunting the task of finding the young woman really was, something he was beginning to feel was truly hopeless.

Kirk and the others were speaking about something, some form of divide and conquer, the best strategy to cover the most ground when Spock felt something behind him. There had been so many people walking around the table he paid no attention to it. As though there was someone behind him, not willing to be ignored, Spock felt hot breath on his neck. He spun around quickly to find no one there. The action did not go unnoticed by the others as Spock hesitantly returned to his work, his eyes still surveying the area around him.

"You okay Spock?" Kirk mumbled quietly.

"Fine Captain." he answered halfheartedly.

As he went back to his work, trying his best to forget the odd sensation that had come over him, Spock felt it again. Warm air brushed around his ear as though someone were standing behind him, whispering something to him. The man spun around violently once more, nearly knocking Kirk in the side of the head with his elbows as he did. This time there was no calming down. What ever was speaking to him, wanted his attention.

"Spock, what is wrong with you?" Kirk asked, louder this time out of real concern.

"Nothing Captain." he lied, his eyes frantically searching for the source of the hot breath.

Kirk eyed the man who's eyes were darting frantically around the room with fear. Something spooked him and what was worse, it was bad enough to force him to show his emotions. Something was truly frightening Spock and it worried Kirk more then anything that he couldn't help.

"Maybe you should sit down for a minute."

"Perhaps you are right Captain." Spock answered slowly.

His eyes were still fixed around him as he took his seat off to the far right of the current conversation. He had no idea of how to classify what had just happened, to rationalize it. There was no logical explanation for what he had felt, what he knew had happened, and that was perhaps, what frightened him the most.

"Leave me…"

The words came as a drawn out whisper, something you would hear in the old horror movies on Earth, not something you would experience in reality. Spock shot out of his seat, his rational mind ignoring the stares of the others as he tried to find the source of the disembodied voice he had just heard.

"Spock?" Kirk asked, genuinely concerned this time.

"She knows I'm here." he muttered, his eyes still moving around the room, looking above him, pass the people in the room.

Kirk shot a frightened look to the King who was simply watching the young man in fascination.

"Go…" another voice said, the same as before but closer, in his ear.

He shifted suddenly to the direction he had heard it, his ear still tingling from the breath that brought the word forward. But again, there was nothing. He felt as though he was loosing his mind, that nothing was making anymore sense. There was no logical, rational, or reasonable explanation for any of this to happen, not really. The safety blanket, his salvation behind the chaos of emotion, his precious logic, was beginning to waver.

"Spock, you're starting to scare me buddy." Kirk told him wearily as he stepped forward.

To him, and the others in the room, Spock appeared to have lost his mind. He was staring into nothing, jumping at voices that weren't there, trying to see something that simply wasn't in the tangible world. He looked as though he was lost, utterly and completely. What could take such a smart, rational being and turn him into the nearly shaking man before them? There was something toying with Spock, that much was obvious, and it was making the others nervous.

"I am fine Captain." he told the man before his eyes came to rest of those of his commanding officer. "I know what is happening."

"Care to share with the rest of the class?" Jim asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I am certain Princess Tryallah is using our connection to find out what we are doing. She is simply trying to frighten me into leaving."

"Really?" he asked, a pure sense of disbelief in his words.

"Improbable as it may seem Captain, I believe I am correct in my assumption." he declared almost happily. "I am sure the Princess will try to do any and everything within her power to stop me."

Unfortunately, this meant Spock wasn't going to be able to rely on himself. He wasn't going to be able to believe his own thoughts, his ears or the sights around him. She was strong, stronger then he had thought with her mental abilities and he was more then aware she could alter his very reality if she felt the need.

A cold chill crept over his body at the thought. He can't trust himself… His mind had always been so accurate, acute, well endowed, and now it was beginning to waver. He was scared, like a child would be… He felt as though everything he knew was slipping through his fingers like nothing more then water. Deep down, he knew all he had to do was relent and let her try her best to scare him, but he wasn't prepared to loose his precious control. So little in this world, this universe, is able to be controlled, such a small amount it doesn't seem worthy of a second thought, but it was. The only thing any one will ever have absolute control of, is their mind. It was the only thing that wouldn't be compromised, the only thing no one could take away from you, until now. That's what she was doing. She was robbing him of his mind, betraying him, taking advantage of him in the worst way possible for a Vulcan. She was slowly trying to make him go insane and he feared she might succeed.

"I assure you captain, she is only trying to frighten me."

"That's what I'm afraid of." Kirk muttered.

**Sorry its been awhile since I updated, but just been a bit busy. lol. It might be a little while longer til I update again. Hope you like it!**


	8. Chapter 8

Ch.8

Spock still felt his mind wander back to the strange occurrences that had been happening the past couple of days. His dreams had more or less been replaced with nothing more then the one horrible memory he had always wanted to forget and periodically, he would still hear the voice ringing loudly in his ears for him to leave, to abandon all hope of finding the young woman.

He had to admit, that with the amount of time they had been searching, he was beginning to feel that perhaps this was a lost cause and that if the princess did in fact want to remain hidden, she would do so. That thought however was short lived when Spock decided to stop listening to his inner voice. After what he had realized Tryallah was capable of now, he wasn't even sure it was _his_ inner voice. Part of him wondered if she truly did have that kind of power, the kind of power that would let her manipulate another beings thoughts, make them feel the way she wanted them to. It was possible, he surmised, for something like that to come about, but he preferred to think that she wouldn't go so far as to take someone's free will away from them. At least not until they got closer to her.

He had no doubt in his mind that once they reached the approximate area she was hiding, Tryallah would unleash as much of her mental power as she could. If she honestly thought she was better off hidden away in the darkness of her own mind, then he knew she would stop at nothing to keep people away from her. Even Spock. But, that was something he was going to have to worry about later.

Right now, he was trying to will himself to sleep, something that had become particularly difficult since the young woman had impregnated his mind.

"We sleep a lot." Kirk yawned as he pulled the sleeping bag over his body.

"The immense gravity coupled with our lack of exposure to it would make it apparent to anyone that we would tire easily."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Kirk mumbled as he rolled onto his side.

Spock didn't spare him a glance as he looked into the heavens above them. This was only the fourth day of their mission and he felt himself completely lost in it. His whole being was beginning to get sucked into the thought of finding her. She was saturating everything that had been him and he didn't feel like stopping it. Slowly, his eyes drifted shut and Spock found himself preparing his mind for the barrage of images and feelings he was going to be assaulted with tonight.

But they never came.

Nothing did. There was nothing in his dreams. No scene before him, no memories of things that passed, nothing. He was left simply standing in the middle of this great blackness with nothing looking back at him.

"_Why can't you just leave me alone Spock?"_ a voice asked, echoing in the air around him.

Spock turned, trying to find the source, trying to find her, only to come short.

"Why are you so against me finding you Princess? Do you not wish to have a normal life?"

"_My chance of normalcy was forfeit long ago. Once I raised my hand to you and the other innocents, I lost any chance of happiness."_

The voice was hollow, despite being hers. Still it echoed, giving him no clue where it was coming from, only that it was the one he had longed to see.

"_You must understand Spock. Now please, take Jim and go."_

"No." was his simple reply.

"_Stubborn Vulcan. Just go. Leave me be."_

There was more anger in her voice then before but Spock wasn't frightened. He wasn't sure he could be frightened of the disembodied voice.

"No." he answered again.

"Why?"

The closeness of the voice made the young man jump, physically, and turn to find her standing behind him, nearly glaring at him. She was more perfect then he remembered, every trait the same.

Before he could control himself, Spock lunged forward to hug her. As his arms closed around her frame, she vanished into nothing more then a thin smoke. He frowned at the spot she had once occupied, irritated that she would rather disappear then have him touch her.

"_I'm not going to let you do this Spock."_ the disjointed voice finally replied. "_I don't want to hurt you again."_

"Stop being childish." he snapped, unaware of where the emotion and words had come from.

"_Childish?"_ she asked angrily. _"Is it childish to wish to save your friends? To keep them from harm? To save your…"_

"Hollow?" Spock finished, his eyes still staring into the black as her form slowly appeared before him.

"Where did you hear that word?" she asked, her delicate brow cocked.

Spock refused to answer, frightened she would disappear once more. She eyed him with irritation before closing her eyes. He watched her for a moment before her face shifted to anger, her eyes opening once more.

"Prime." she muttered.

"How do you know this?"

"I am in your mind Spock." she replied, thinking it would have been obvious.

He said nothing, only stood there staring at her. Her eyes were the same, her face, her clothing, everything. She looked more like the woman he had come to know then the monster she had been on that day. But still, something wasn't right to him.

"Why do you wish me to leave if I am your hollow?" he asked finally.

"I don't want to hurt you again."

The words hung in the air and he could feel her pain. It was overwhelming, something she knew as tears formed in her eyes.

"I don't want to lose control and hurt you again, hurt Jim."

"I am tired of your excuses." he snapped, not willing to hold in his anger any longer.

"Excuses?" she bellowed, the very air around him shaking. "It is fact, not an excuse."

"Be that as it may, I refuse to let you linger in your own torment."

"Why?"

It was one word, one simple word and yet he found himself at a complete lose. He couldn't think of words to say, form anything that would be a decent answer. His mind swirled with possible reasons, each one more ridiculous and unlikely as the next.

"Leave Spock." she sighed. "Leave here and never return."

With that, the young woman turned to walk away into the darkness, vanishing once more into a puff of silvery smoke. Spock felt himself slip into the same darkness that had overpowered him the day she had attacked. There was nothing around him, no sight, no sound, only pure emptiness.

**Okay, it has been a very, very, very, unnaturally long amount of time since I have updated this but now, two computers later, here we are. :) Enjoy and let me know.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Very, very, very, very short. But damnit, I am determined to finish the story. lol.**

_**Ch.9**_

Spock awoke to see the Captain staring off into the horizon. His back was to the young Vulcan and from what Spock could tell, Kirk had quite a bit on his mind. Stretching for a moment, the young man rose and stood beside his friend.

"Is something the matter Captain?" Spock asked quietly.

"I can't help but wonder…" he muttered to himself. "Would Trya really go through this much trouble to hide herself? Or would she do it in the last place we would look?"

"Either way, she would be in the last place we checked. There would be no need to further explore once we find her."

Kirk rolled his eyes at the man's comment before sighing heavily.

"What I mean is,"

"You mean to say she could have hidden herself in plain sight?"

"Yup." Kirk answer, his lips popping at the word.

"Out in the open." Spock mused. "It would be clever. But where?"

"You see there Spock," Kirk began, noticing the Vulcan slipping into his 'logic' driven coma. "You think too much."

Spock's eyes widened slightly at the remark. He couldn't remember the last time someone had told him he thought too much. To him, this was merely a fraction of his thought process.

Then he remembered, the King had told him to refrain from thinking so much, from letting his logic cloud his mind and simply react to his feelings, something his future self had told him at their first meeting. Perhaps he did over analyze things.

"Then what do you suggest Captain?" he finally asked.

"Twenty bucks says she's in the castle somewhere." he replied with a smirk.

Spock eyed him skeptically for a moment. Was it really that simple? Would it really be as easy as searching the castle for the young woman? It couldn't be…


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10~

Spock and Kirk were making their way back up the stairs to the throne room of the massive palace, to find the King pacing as he normally did. Anymore, with the two men pledging to find the young woman, pacing seemed to be all Thaus did. It was more rare then not to see him standing still. Spock sighed to himself, wishing he had the luxury of pacing at this point in time. But at the sound of their boots hitting the marble floor, Thaus turned to them, his face happy for a brief moment before falling.

"You haven't found her have you?" he asked in a deflated tone.

"No your majesty." Spock answered. "But something has come to our attention."

"Which is?" the large man asked, turning to the two men before him, his arms crossed behind his back not unlike Spock who was standing the same way while addressing the monarch.

"We think she hid herself somewhere in the castle." Kirk replied, his voice sounding relatively proud of his assessment. Spock rolled his eyes internally.

"Really?" Thaus said in a hushed tone as though he was considering it before turning to the side and pacing once more.

But this time, there was something different in his gate. He was walking like he had some kind of hope in his heart for the first time since this ordeal had taken place. His clawed finger came up and tapped his chin thoughtfully as his brow furrowed the longer he considered the possibility.

"Yes," he said in a quiet voice. "Yes I could very well see that."

Spock noticed Kirk's chest swell a little more than before and he couldn't help but feel his own chest swell a bit with pride and hope. Such a strange reaction, but now didn't seem the time to examine it.

"Johsa!" Thaus boomed, his voice echoing off the walls of the tremendous room, the two men feeling it echo in their chests.

"Yes your majesty?" a man clad in armor and rather attractive for the feline race asked as he came forward.

Spock couldn't help but glare at the man in his head, noting every chiseled feature, that he was more than six feet tall, and obviously well muscled from being a soldier. How much he hated how perfect the Furians could be sometimes.

"Johsa, I need you to gather your best trackers and tell them to ready themselves. We are going to scour the castle."

"Yes your majesty." the man replied, bowing slightly before jogging off to do as he was told.

"Spock, Captain,"

Spock felt his head snap away from the man that had run off and to the king, hoping it wasn't too obvious.

"I will give you the original blue prints to the castle and you are more than welcomed to search them for places she might be hidden. But I must warn you, there are a great many places she can be hiding. This palace was built with miles of underground chambers, hidden hallways and a multitude of secret chambers. She very well could be anywhere."

"Great…" Kirk muttered under his breath, not realizing the King was more than capable of hearing him until he smiled. Kirk fidgeted slightly under his gaze. "So,"

Spock felt a smile tug at his lips before quickly wiping it away. What was coming over him? He had to stop his emotions, at least around the Captain and King. They were for him and perhaps Tryalla if he found her, no one else.

An hour or so had passed while Kirk, Spock, Thaus and a few of his men stood in the conference room, the same they had occupied when Spock had his last encounter with Tryallah. He shuddered slightly at the memory as Thaus's hand came out and tapped a few inset keys on the table top. A few seconds later, a three dimensional model of the entire palace rose from the hidden projector. Kirk marveled at the intricate work of the many hallways and rooms in the castle, so many of them it looked like a multitude of snakes intertwining with one another. The king tapped a few more buttons, forcing the main walls and hallways to nearly fade, the ones they assumed were secret standing out.

"Now you can see the problem." Thaus said in an almost defeated voice as they gazed at the maze before them.

"Shit." Kirk muttered. "Is that all of them?"

"To my knowledge yes. I doubt there are any others."

"You doubt?" Spock asked slightly surprised.

"Well," Thaus sighed. "I'm sure if she wanted too, she could have carved a room out somewhere within one of the already secret rooms to hide."

"This just feels like a daunting task." Spock mumbled, thinking he had said it internally before seeing the King's head snap to him.

"You can't give up." Thaus told him almost as though he were pleading. "You are the key to finding her."

Spock stood there, his face still stoic and calm as the King left the table and approached the internally conflicted Vulcan. Still, Spock still remained motionless.

"I do not understand your highness." he said in a voice that he hoped sounded as strong as it did in his head. He doubted it.

"You are her other half."

Spock felt his eyes grow wide slightly at the notion, surprised the King had come out and said it so bluntly.

"You are the one, more than any of us that would be able to find her."

"How?" he asked in a quiet voice, one only the Furians would have been able to hear. He knew his brow was furrowed with worry, but he didn't care. At the moment, he only hoped there was an answer to the question.

"Spock my son," Thaus said calmly as he placed his hands on the man's shoulders. "You must stop clouding your mind with you damn logic. She will call to you if you just clear your mind."

"I fear, she has already done that more than once." he said sadly.

"How so?"

"She has been haunting my dreams, trying her best to frighten me and run me away."

Thaus chuckled slightly, shaking his head knowingly.

"She is only scared." he told the young man calmly. "She is only scared she will hurt you, or something worse."

"Worse?"

At this point, the room around them had all but disappeared as the two men spoke, the others in the room not ignorant to that fact as they tried to avoid listening. Well, the ones with heightened hearing did, James struggled to do anything that would ensure he could hear more than mumbling but he was failing at it.

"That is something you already know the answer to." Thaus smiled, "Now come, we have some preparing to do."

Spock resigned his line of questioning as the large man wrapped his arm around the Vulcan's shoulder and led him back to the table.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Blackness enveloped her and within an instant, the scenery shifted into a beautiful mock of her world. Tryallah sat on the edge of her balcony, not much in the mood to stand, instead opting to sit on the thick marble railing she had. The birds chirped and filled her heart with a temporary joy. Temporary because she knew they weren't real, they were nothing more than memories. Her face fell slightly as she looked down at her swinging feet, the sun boring down on her and warming her light skin. She frowned, clouds immediately blocking its rays. None of this was real, not the scene, nor the senses. None of it.

"I preferred it sunny." a kind voice said from behind.

Tryallah turned and saw someone she had never thought to see again. There, standing in the French doors that led to her room, was her mother. Her heart leapt as she quickly closed the gap between them, hugging her tightly.

"Hello mummy." she whispered into the older woman's shoulder.

"Hello my lovely daughter." Nureal whispered, her hand coming and cradling her daughter's head as she closed her eyes, squeezing the tears that had gathered out. "It has been too long."

The two women stood there, hugging each other tightly before finally, slowly, pulling apart. Nureal smiled to her daughter, moving a few strands of loose hair out of the way and placing it behind her daughter's pointed ears. Her hands came to rest on her cheeks.

"You've grown so much." she smiled.

Tryallah smiled, glancing down for a moment before returning her bright violet and blue eyes to her mother's fluorescent green.

"Now, what brings you to my neck of the woods?" Nureal asked finally with a smile.

This had been the first time since she had been sedated that Tryallah had seen her mother, never daring to venture into the woman's mind fearing she would be lost if she would. But now, her mother had come to see her and she couldn't be more happy for it.

"It seems, the apple didn't fall far from the tree." Trya replied, her mother's face falling immediately.

"So I've noticed." she sighed. "I have also noticed that you are going through a large amount of trouble to keep your friends away."

Tryah sighed as well, this time taking her seat once more on the railing, her tail darting around behind her when she did.

"You've been spying on me." she stated, not bothering with a question.

"For years now." Nureal admitted, taking a set by her daughter.

"Really?" she asked slightly shocked. "Then why wait until now to make your presence known?"

"I thought what your father did was best." she answered in a quiet voice.

"For me to think you were dead?" she asked angrily. "I'm not sure I can forgive father for that."

"Don't be hard on Thaus. He did it for you."

"I am tired of people telling me they're doing things for me. I think I know what's best for me."

"You really don't. You're still a child by our standards."

"I am not a child." she snapped.

"Yes, you are." Nureal replied, not being bothered by her daughter's tone. "And what would you have expected your father to do? Tell you your mother was a monster?"

"You're not a monster."

"Yes, I am. One that is far worse than you. I deserve this torment. You don't."

"I almost killed people that were very close to me." Tryallah mumbled. "I can't go back, not now."

Nureal's hand came to her daughter's back and rubbed her lightly.

"You're scared he thinks differently of you? That you frighten him?"

"Please don't do that." Trya grumbled. "I rather like having my mind to myself."

Nureal smiled to her daughter before continuing.

"The choice is yours, of course, but I want you to think it through completely. You know, as well as I do, that you don't want this for yourself. This is a life that I never wanted for you Tryallah, and I am sorry that it ended up this way."

"It's not your fault mother." she told her honestly.

"Perhaps not directly, but I still played a role in this out come."

"I just don't know what to do about Spock." she said as her breath caught in her throat as tears flowed freely.

Nureal pulled her daughter to her side, hugging her tightly as she cried.

"You will, my dear, when the time comes."


End file.
